ENGLAND could enter this week's opening Test against Pakistan with a new-look team and a re-structured batting order....

ENGLAND could enter this week's opening Test against Pakistan with a new-look team and a re-structured batting order with captain Nasser Hussain considering moving himself away from his cherished number three position.

Hussain has played the majority of his 58-Test career at number three and fiercely protected his right to remain there last year when he went 21 innings without a century, a dismal run he finally ended with a battling 109 against Sri Lanka in Kandy.

But after England welcomed newcomers Ian Ward, Surrey's talented left-handed opener, and Yorkshire left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom into the squad, Hussain has hinted for the first time about the possibility of moving himself down the order.

"I'm constantly reviewing what's best for the team and one of the options is for Michael Vaughan to move up to number three as he looks such a natural player up the order," said Hussain.

"But I've batted all my career at three and four and I've been batting well this summer and don't want to do something alien like bat at five and six."

That would indicate that Hussain is unlikely to drop all the way down to the middle order in an effort to help out Ward, who will make his debut at number seven if England decide to face Pakistan's multi-talented attack with seven batsmen.

The most likely alternative would be for Hussain to move one place to four, which is the position where he made his highest Test score of 207 against Australia at Edgbaston four years ago.

"We won't be making any changes for negative reasons, just to get the best out of every player in the right position," stressed Hussain.

The selections of Ward and Sidebottom is the start of a gradual rebuilding process by England, who included eight players in their 13-man squad who are over 30 and follows the successful introduction of Marcus Trescothick into the side last summer.

Ward averaged over 40 last season for Surrey to help them claim a successive championship and was the outstanding player during last winter's A tour to West Indies, scoring centuries in three successive Busta Cup matches, while Sidebottom also returned with reputation enhanced.

"All sorts of players were discussed, but if the A team is going to have any meaning we have to reward the players who have done well," explained David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors.

"I think we have learned during our experience with Marcus Trescothick that there is a brave new world out there with some good young players and they need to be given a chance to see if they can adapt to Test cricket."

Sidebottom, brought in as a replacement for Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Hoggard who played yesterday for the first time since injuring his back in the opening match of the season, believes he is not going up simply to make up the numbers and is relishing the opportunity ahead of him.

"I'm upbeat about my chances of playing," said Sidebottom, whose father Arnie played one Test against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1985. "I'm going down there determined to enjoy the experience.

"It will be a great experience for me and a good opportunity to learn from established England Test players, which should help me improve my game."